Thera 2.17: Tissa
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(137):Tissa Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =137. Tissa1= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Rājagaha, in a brahmin's family, and named Tissa, he became an expert in the Vedas, teaching the mantras to five hundred brahmin(priest) boys, and winning the highest praise and renown. When the Lord(Buddha) came to Rājagaha, Tissa saw the Buddha-majesty, and believed and entered the Monk’s order, thereafter winning arahantship(enlightenment) through established insight. So also he won praise and renown. Now certain worldly-minded bhikkhus(monks) noting the attention paid to the Thera were unable to endure it. The Thera knew this, and declared the evil in such attentions and his own detachment from that in these verses: ---- 153 Bahū sapatte labhati muṇaḍo saŋghāṭipāruto,|| Lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa sayanassa ca.|| || 154 Etamādīnavaɱ ñatvā sakkāresu mahabbhayaɱ,|| Appalābho 'navassuto sato bhikkhu paribbaje' ti.|| || ---- 153 Many the foes he gets, the bhikkhu(monk) shorn, Wrapt in his robe, to whom the world gives gifts Of food and drink, dress and where to lodge. 154 Let him then, knowing all the bane herefrom, The fearsome peril in the world's regard, Taking but little, free from lusting's stain(sin), Wary and mindful, hold his onward way. ---- Then those bhikkhus(monks) straightway sought the Thera's forgiveness. ---- 1 Clearly quite a different Tissa from either of the foregoing Theras so named. Cf. Ps. XXXIX., XCVII. ---- =2.2-7 137 Commentary on the stanza of Tissatthera= The stanza starting with Bahū sapatte labhati constitutes that of the venerable Thera Tissa. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted deeds of service towards former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa), in this and that existence, was reborn in a brahmin family, at the time of the Blessed One Piyadassī. On having attained the age of intelligence, he attained proficiency in all the brahmin lore (sippesu), discovered disadvantage in sensual pleasures, gave up his household life, renounced the world by having become a hermit-recluse, and dwelt in a hermitage after having built it in the Sal grove in a forest region. After having come out of his hermitage, he was going for the purpose of fetching fruits, large and small, when he met the Blessed One, became pious-minded set up four sticks, made a pandal of branches with blooming branches of the Sal tree, above the Blessed One, and stood making reverential offerings of new fresh Sal flowers to the Blessed One with unintermittent zest over Buddha as his object of sense (ārammana), for seven days. With the expiry of seven days, the Master rose up from his cessation trance (nirodha) and thought of His clergy of monks. There and then canker-free Arahants to the extent of a hundred thousand in number surrounded the Master. In order to make manifest his future (bhāvinī) prosperity the Master spoke to him His words of thanks-giving (anumodanaṃ) and took His departure. On account of that act of merit he sprang up in the divine world and wandering about his rounds of repeated rebirths but in excellent existences, was reborn in a brahmin family at Rājagaha when this Buddha arose. He gained the name Tissa. On having come of age, he became proficient in the three vedas, and teaching charms (manta) to five hundred youths attained the highest height of gain and fame. On having noticed the power of Buddha when the Master went to Rājagaha, he aptly gained pious faith, became a monk, placed himself in the path of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:–- “Having penetrated into the Sal grove, my hermitage was well built; well shaded by Sal flowers, I then dwelt in the forest. The Blessed One Piyadassī, the self- becomer (sayambhū), the foremost individual, the self-awakened Buddha, who was desirious of seclusion came near the Sal grove. Having specially come out of the hermitage, I went into the forest; seeking roots and fruits. I then wandered in the forest. There I saw the self-awakened Buddha the great famous Piyadassī well seated having entered upon His trance (samāpannaṃ), shinning brilliently (virocantaṃ). Having set up sticks, I had a hall well made and had it roofed with Sal flowers. For seven days, I had the Sal-roofed pandal held; having made my mind piously pleased, I paid my homage to Buddha the best. At that juncture, the Blessed One rose up from His concentration (samādhi), the most excellent of men sat down with His glance of a yoke measure. Buddha’s disciple named Varuna of the Master Piyadassī, approached the clear leader (vināyaka) together with a hundred thousand powerful masters (vasī). The Blessed One Piyadassī, the eldest in the world, the bull among men, having been seated amidst the clergy of monks, the Conqueror made clear His evident smile. The serving attendant Anuruddha of the Master Piyadassī, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, asked the great Sage (about it). O Blessed One! What indeed, is the cause of the Master’s making smile? When a cause is there, the Master makes His smile clearly evident. On having remembered the deed of that youth who bore for me the Sal shelter (chadana) for seven days, I made my smile obvious. I do not see any absence of opportunity (okāsa) where (his) merit brings about its fruitful result (vipaccati); either in the divine or human world, there is no end (na sammati) of his (golden) opportunity even (okāso’va). When (he thus) endowed with meritorious deed lives in the divine world, as far as there is his retinue, there will be Sal shelter (channa). Well-provided with meritorious deeds, he will always be peacefully bemused there with divine dancing, singing and playing as music as well. As far as there is his retinue, there will be sweet smelling of scents; there and then there will shower down rain of Sal flowers. On having passed away from there, this man wil come back to humanhood; here also a Sal shelter will at all times be borne over him. Here, dancing and singing, well accom- panied by striking of cymbals (sammatāḷa- samāhitaṃ), will always surround this one (parivārissanti’maṃ); this is the fruitful result of making reveren- tial offering of Buddha. When the sun rises also there will rain down shower of Sal flowers. Well-connected with act of merit, there is seasonal rain shower of perpetual character. Eighteen hundred aeons (kappa) hence, there will appear in the world the Master named Gotama by clan, born well of the family of Okkāka. He will be an heir of His dhamma, a bosom san, created by dhamma. Having all-round understood all cankers (āsava), he will enter nibbāna, cankerfree (anā- savo). When he completely realises the dhamma, there will be Sal shelter (channa); when (his dead-body) is being cremated on the funeral pyre, there will be (the same) shelter (chadanaṃ) there. Having announced the fruitful result (vipāka), the great Sage Piyadassī taught the truth (dhamma) to the audience, satisfying the listeners with the rain-shower of dhamma. For thirty aeons (kappa) among divine- beings I exercised celestial seoverignty. For sixty and seven times, I was a world- king. Having come here from divine world, I gain bountiful bliss; there is here also Sal shelter (sālacchadanaṃ); this is the fruitful result of the pandal. This turns out to be my last and final existence. Here also there is Sal shelter which will be an all-time affair. Having gladdened the great Sage, Gotama, the bull among the Sākiyans, I attained the unshaken place, having forsaken conquest and defeat. It was eighteen hundred aeons ago, that I specially made my reverential offering to Buddha; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruit- ful result of my reverentail offering to Buddha. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he became such a distinguished thera as has attained the highest height of gain and fame. There some monks of common category (puthujjana) on having seen the gain and honour (sakkāra) of the thera, made known their manner of intolerance (asahana) because of being foolish. Having come to know of it, the thera spoke two stanzas making manifest the disadvantage in gain and honour (sakkāra), as well as the condition of his not clinging to the same:– 153. “A bald-headed wearer (pāruto) of double stranded robe (saṅghāti) gains much enmity (sapatta); so also the gainer of food, drink, clothing and bed.” 154. “Having come to know this disadvantage and great danger in the gaining of res- pect and honour (sakkāresu), a monk should wander about (paribbaje) mind- fully aware (sato) and being free from lustful leakage (anavassuto). Its meaning:–- Munḍo means the condition of shaven and shorn hair (munḍitakesatā) without letting the crest even to remain; saṅghātipāruto means: because of bearing a robe bound together after having been cut; lābhī connototes: if a monk who in this manner, having reached (ajjhupagato) the state of having no caste (vevanniyaṃ) and who conducts himself for the welfare of others (parayatthavuttiko) becomes the gainer of food, drink, and so on; bahū sapatte labhati means; he also gains much enmity; many become together with jealousy for him. Etamādinavaṃ ñatvā sakkāresu mahabbhayaṃ means: therefore, having come to know the defect and abundant danger in such gain and honour, having placed at heart the condition of meagre desire and contentment (santosa); appalābho means meagre gain by an all-round avoidance of gain which has arisen and even of such a gain as has appeared sinlessly; anavassuto means: free from lustful leakage owing to the absence of leakage of craving there but as a result of that; bhikkhu(monk) sato paribbaje means; Either because of discerning danger in rounds of repeated rebirths (saṃsāra) or owing to broken-down depravity (kilesa), a monk, under the influence of having been caused by contentment and mindfulness and awareness, having become ever on the alert (sato) should wander about, practise and live. On having heard of it those monks there and then begged the thera’s pardon (khamāpesuṃ). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Tissa is complete. ----